Report
What do young people really know about Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)?
A report measuring the awareness of VPN's among 11 to 17 year olds to better understand whether young people may be using these tools to access gambling-related content.
Conclusion
What this means
These findings point to a clear takeaway: while awareness of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) among young people is widespread, understanding remains partial and uneven. VPNs are not just abstract tools - they are actively discussed, shared, and, in some cases, used in ways that may bypass safeguards or restrictions.
This matters because such perceptions may contribute to riskier online behaviours, particularly among older teenagers and those already familiar with VPNs. The gap between awareness and understanding is therefore not just an educational issue, but a potential pathway through which exposure to harms - including illegal gambling - can increase.
We know that VPNs are one of the avenues that can expose people to the risks of illegal gambling - affecting both children and adults. Tackling this part of the illegal gambling supply chain is a challenge interlinked with a much wider range of online harms.
Previous sectionFindings - What do young people really know about VPNs?
Last updated: 20 August 2026
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